Mentor Connect Lessons Learned: The Messy Side of Being a Founder

Being a founder comes with its share of ups and downs. All of which can take a toll on mental health.

Join Mentor Connect at the Pennovation Center to hear from Nicole Lipkin, CEO of Hey Kiddo, Donna Dorozinsky, Founder & CEO of Just in Time GCP, Nick Ashburn, Founder & CEO of Calibrate, and Mark Redlus, Board of Directors, Ben Franklin Technology Partners.  

The panel will discuss the isolation of carrying responsibility no one else can fully share, the constant uncertainty about money and survival, the emotional toll of leading a team when you don’t have all the answers, and the pressure of trying to balance personal life while building something from scratch.

They’ll pull back the curtain on the difficult parts of entrepreneurship: the sleepless nights, the tough calls, the weight of other people’s livelihoods, and the moments of self-doubt that can feel overwhelming.